DIY SOS

DIY SOS – Changing the lives of vulnerable young people

The BBC’s favourite build series hosted a Trades Day ahead of ambitious build in Swansea

This month, DIY SOS called upon trades and volunteers far and wide, as part of a Trades Day, to help with their latest transformation – one of the Purple Shirts’ most ambitious to date. The Trades Day, held in Swansea, gave volunteers and donors of supplies and materials the opportunity to take a look at the plans for the build, meet the team and see how they can get involved.

The team are building a brand-new support centre for The Roots Foundation Wales, which supports children in care and leaving care, complete with short term accommodation for young people transitioning into adult life. The build will run from 6th – 17th September 2017 and will feature in a special edition of the programme in aid of BBC Children in Need, which supports The Roots Foundation Wales.

DIY SOS presenter, Nick Knowles, said: “We are so excited to be back in Wales to shine a light on the challenges faced by some of the UK’s children and young people in care and leaving care. We cannot wait to provide these youngsters with a modern new building and accommodation which will help them reach their full potential.

“We won’t be able to do this alone and building a new property from the ground up is no mean feat. We need hundreds of volunteers and tradespeople, from electricians and plumbers to carpenters and plasterers, not forgetting decorators and anyone else who can spare time, resource or materials, to please get in contact via diysoscin@bbc.co.uk.”

Emma Lewis, Chairperson at The Roots Foundation Wales added: “The Roots Foundation Wales delivers support to children and young people in care and leaving care, offering advice and guidance on topics such as finance, cooking, health and employment whilst helping to prepare them for adult life. We also provide intensive support through initiatives such as our C.A.R.E Project which is funded by BBC Children in Need and delivers help to children and young people in care or leaving care who are at risk of exploitation.

“The children and young people we work with are vulnerable, often isolated and may lack a support network. We are so grateful for this opportunity and hope the local community, Wales and beyond come together to get involved, it really will make a difference.”

DIY SOS: The Big Build BBC Children in Need Special will air this November during BBC Children in Need Appeal week.

BBC One show, DIY SOS with Swansea based project, The Roots Foundation start work at the site. Mark Millar Build Manager with Emma Lewis, The Roots Foundation Chairperson and Pudsey the Bear

The Roots Foundation Wales

The Roots Foundation Wales, established in August 2011, is an organisation which offers support to children and young people in care or leaving care, those in kinship care and their carers based in Swansea and South Wales. The Foundation has been allocated over £139,500 in BBC Children in Need funding since 2014 to provide the C.A.R.E (Children at Risk of Exploitation) Project, offering support to children and young people in care who are at risk of exploitation, helping to raise their confidence and increase their skills.

BBC Children in Need

BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential. The charity will realise this vision by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face and work that builds their skills and resilience.

BBC Children in Need is currently supporting 2,400 projects in communities across the UK that are helping children and young people facing a range of disadvantages such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma.

DIY SOS

DIY SOS: The Big Build, presented by Nick Knowles, has been running for 18 years. Nick and the team of Purple Shirts galvanise the local community to help one of their own in need, transforming homes and lives, usually in just nine days. The series has helped more than 70 families in need with Big Builds as well as regenerating a run-down street in Manchester for veterans. For BBC Children in Need, the award winning DIY SOS and an amazing army of volunteers have built a youth centre in Liverpool, a children’s centre in Edinburgh, a parent-led centre for disabled children in Peterborough and a respite centre for young carers in Blackpool. The show regularly gets over 5million viewers on BBC One.